Innovative local pilot testing tools for selection, collection and recycling of PET plastic waste from households in Kicevo

One of the strategic objectives of domestic and international policies is the elimination and reduction of the sources of persistent organic pollutants -POPs. Special emphasis is given to the introduction of systematic planned management with plastic waste from households in particular through massive involvement of primary pollutants reduction, collection, sorting and recycling of PET plastic packaging.
In 2005 Macedonia adopts the Law on Waste and the National Plan for Waste Management and in 2009 there is a law to manage packets of waste. These documents focus on the management, disposal, collection and recycling, as well as the responsibilities of generators and those who waste. Laws open the possibility of creating systematic collection and selection of the overall waste, and thus the waste plastic PET bottles. Efforts to establishment of wholle system of management of the waste are made constantly in the municipalities. Some of the most successful is the municipality of Prilep and municipality of Ilinden who have completely encircled the primary selection process and waste disposal of PET packaging, paper and metal to recycling centers.
Selection of the waste in Skopje is functioning at the level of companies and institutions, but the citizens are not fully engaged in the process, although the city is provided with collection points. In the most municipalities waste management is not developed at all. From analysis of more FA is determined that there is insufficient institutional capacity to promote public awareness and education about the environment and the population is not sufficiently aware of the problem of waste and its effect on their environment and health. From the past experience and working with citizens, we have the impression that they are not aware of their responsibilities and their role as producers of waste, not aware in the sense how much they can contribute to its reduction.
Kicevo municipality is located in the Southwestern part of the country. It covers an area of 838 km2 and is located 620-650 meters above sea level. In the municipality of Kicevo (election 2013) after the annexation of surrounding municipalities Zajas, Oslomej, Drugovo and Vranestica number of residents is 56739. The main problem with waste in Kicevo is that there are many illegal landfills, no habits of the local population for selective waste collection and a complete lack of sanitary landfill facility for recycling.
The landfill has no treatment of leakage water and exhausted gases, yet. Plastic PET bottles are component of such waste, which by melting through decades or evaporation during firing the landfill, release gases called Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Persistent organic pollutants are quite mobile and circulate globally with the so-called "grasshopper effect". These pollutants released into a region of the world can, through constant repetitive process (evaporation, precipitation), to be transported through the atmosphere in regions distant from the primary source.
The project aims to contribute to the systematic selection of primary waste PET bottles to allow changing the consciousness and habits of the population to maintain hygiene by reducing waste. On the other hand, it stimulates creation of new operators with waste.
The collected and sold PET plastic, despite the assistance of the landfill, will reduce the risk of release of POPs (mainly dioxins and furans) that transmitted through air, soil, water and plant. PoPs cause cancer disease in living organisms. POPs reduction is in line with the criteria of the Operational Program on Persistent Organic Pollutants - POPs (OP14), in the central area (4) Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). On the other hand the project intends to contribute to capacity building of the participating schools and municipality in the project, in area of waste management.
The overall objective of the project is to reduce the quantities of POPs (POPs) through sustainable management of solid, plastic waste with PET composition.

Specific objectives:
1. Education of young people about the harmfulness of waste plastics, and thus POPs on human health, the composition of the soil, air and water.
2. Motivation of the population for primary selection and collection of PET bottles in households and schools and promotion of social inclusion of marginalized populations (children, youth, minorities, women) in the activities.
3. Promotion of the collection, selection of PET plastic packaging and selling as a secondary raw material, as an opportunity for economic impact of the community.

The implementation of project objectives will lead to establishment of a comprehensive system for waste treatment in the municipality of Kicevo, helping cooperation of NGO, local authorities, local institutions and private enterprises. Project activities will create a space for establishment a practice of working together of all stakeholders in the community for the benefit of all of us as habitants. The project creates a functional system for organized collection, purchase, processing and sale of plastic waste in the city that will generate income for our association. On the other side, the project would teach primary and secondary schools that creative activities can create a budget out of state subsidies that are always limited.
One of the important outcomes of the project will be stimulating socialization and self organization of people from diverse economic, ethnic, social and age classes, then the staff, parents and the children in elementary and secondary schools, through a series of group activities.
The project opens conditions for new employment and financial strengthening of the organizations that will take part in the expansion of activities.